People expect sexual intercourse to be pleasurable and enjoyable. The last thing they correlate with sex is pain. Painful intercourse, a condition known as dyspareunia, typically affects women, although men may experience it, too. Patients may find the condition embarrassing and difficult to discuss with anyone, even a doctor. Patients experiencing this problem should bring it to the attention of their physicians, as treatments exist to reduce and eliminate the pain.
Vaginal Dryness
Women who do not have enough lubrication often experience pain during intercourse. The pain may result from insufficient foreplay, from low estrogen levels after menopause or after giving birth. Women who breast-feed may also have pain during intercourse related to vaginal dryness. The Mayo Clinic adds that medications such as antidepressants, high blood pressure medications, antihistamines and sedatives can also contribute to vaginal dryness.
Medical Conditions
Muscles surround the vagina, and when involuntary muscle spasms occur, the pain is severe and makes penile penetration almost impossible. These involuntary spasms are known as vaginusmus. The Mayo Clinic states that vestibulis is another condition resulting in painful penetration, causing inexplicable stinging or burning around the opening of the vagina.
Infections
Yeast and urinary trace infections can make intercourse painful for both genders. The Mayo Clinic explains that skin problems, such as eczema, in the genital area are another source of pain.
Scarring
Certain surgeries and medical procedures that leave scarring can be a source of pain when deep penetration occurs. This source of pain is common for women who have undergone hysterectomies. Other procedures that can result in pain include radiation and chemotherapy treatments for cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Psychological Problems
Women with a history of sexual abuse typically do not develop dyspareunia; however, this history may play a role in the condition, according to the Mayo Clinic. In some cases, women with anxiety, depression and fear of being intimate may have a lower level of sexual arousal, leading to painful intercourse.
